Pressurized fluid containers, such as pressurized LPG containers, are typically filled by transferring therein a fluid at high pressure from a pressurized fluid source, such as a tanker truck. The container is generally designed in the art such that when it has been filled to approximately 80% of its total volume, fluid begins to escape through a relief valve, thereby signaling that the container has been adequately filled and that the filling operation should be terminated.
Some municipal codes forbid allowing fluid, such as LPG, from escaping to the environment to signal the end of the filling process. Therefore, it is desirable to provide apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers without any fluid escaping to the environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841 to Kozik, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, provides improved apparatus and methods for filling pressurized fluid containers without any fluid escaping to the environment. The pressurized fluid apparatus of U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841 includes a pressurized fluid container, a pipe arranged for flow therethrough of the pressurized fluid into the container, a valve operatively connected to an end of the pipe disposed in the container, and a float attached to the valve. The float is insertable through an upper opening of the container.
The float is buoyed generally upwards by the pressurized fluid filling the container, such that when the float has been moved a predetermined amount, the float closes the valve and substantially stops flow of the pressurized fluid into the container. The valve is rotatably attached to the pipe and is closed by an angular upward movement of the float. The valve includes a tube with a longitudinal bore having a longitudinal axis formed therein, and a piston is slidingly disposed in the tube. When the float is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the piston sealingly abuts an internal end face of the tube, thereby closing the valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,841 further provides a bypass passageway such that a fluid, such as LPG vapor, can be conducted through the bypass passageway even during filling of the container. In this way, a consumer can constantly use the fluid, such as for home cooking, without interruption, even during filling of container.